KTM Duke 990 2026 — Specifications

After a "heavily" priced start, the 990 Duke quickly recalibrated its price. This allows for a sustainable price point and paves the way for a fresh breath of life for KTM’s menacing roadster. Now, the public can take a closer look at it, as well as its past full of unique characteristics. The Duke’s career is as long as a day without bread! Since 2024, this weapon from Mattighofen, the 990, reveals its 123 hp and 103 Nm of torque for a dry weight of 179 kg!

The first 990 Duke was ranked at the top of the large sporty roadster class ten years ago. It was then called the Super Duke 990 and was armed with a 999 cm³ V-twin. Today's Duke, on the other hand, relies on a parallel-twin engine with a precise displacement of 947 cm³.

With such a displacement, the SuperDuke was once the flagship of the range. Times have changed, and displacements have continued to climb: from 620 cm³ when the family appeared in 1993, the Duke and Super Duke have declined in all displacements: 125, 250 (excluding France), 390, 620, 640, 690, 790, 890, 990 (V-twin and vertical), 1290, and 1390… The list is long, and the pleasure is still as intense!

This model is now appreciated with its vertical LC8c twin, offering 58 cm³ more than the engine of the 890. This engine develops 123 hp at 9,500 rpm and 103 Nm at 6,750 rpm, whereas the 890 Duke delivered 115 hp at 9,000 rpm and 92 Nm of torque at 8,000 rpm. Compared to the R model of this 890, the figures are admittedly a little less flattering, as it already had 121 hp and 99 Nm. That said, compared to the 999 cm³ of the old Super Duke, the 122 hp at 9,000 rpm and the 98.1 Nm at 7,000 rpm still seemed within the norm. In short, ten years later, the Duke remains a first-rate weapon! Its more flexible and torquey twin should offer a wide range of action, especially as cavalry won’t escape the surge of power. The Super Duke was a ground-to-ground missile… Quite a few years later, this 990, redesigned to taste, has all the assets to establish what constitutes "the ultimate mid-size street bike."

On the chassis side, this motorcycle is fitted with WP Apex elements with certain adjustment ranges. The fork adjusts over 5 positions in rebound - right fork tube - and compression - left fork tube. This will allow everyone to easily study the best suspension settings, without getting bogged down in counting inexorable clicks or half-clicks. Especially since KTM is a champion in the art of adjusting suspensions! The shock absorber is also adjustable in 5 clicks in rebound, and its preload is also modifiable (10 clicks). Finally, the fork has a stroke of 140 mm at the front, and 150 mm at the rear for the shock absorber. Enough to have fun on any terrain.

To better control the torsion and the rider's sensations, the frame is reinforced with an 8% increase in lateral stiffness and a 5% increase in torsional stiffness. To increase driving pleasure, the swingarm stiffness is reduced by 35%, to better anticipate road deformations. Molded under high pressure, it allows for a weight reduction of 1.5 kg. On the braking side, the two 300 mm discs are associated with radially mounted 4-piston calipers and a 240 mm rear brake disc, enough to stop you sharply!

The 5-inch TFT dashboard allows you to configure the character of the motorcycle in up to 5 different riding modes: Street, Sport, Rain, Performance, and Track. This makes five, but in reality it's 3 + 2. The last two modes are available as options: the Track mode, for its part, allows you to have 10 levels on the traction control, with precise throttle response. A "launch-control" mode is also offered, as well as a 5-level adjustable wheelie control. All options are available for 1,500 km. Once you are well accustomed to them, all you have to do is offer them via the dealer, such as the Quickshifter+ available as an option. On the one hand, it's nice to have the right to all the original options; but on the other hand, the frustration will inevitably be strong once all of this is deactivated.

Finally, with its unique and perfectly KTM-esque look, its headlight with its two LED lights surrounded by a set of daytime running lights clearly distinguishes it from the rest of the production. This automatically adjusts the position lights via an ambient light sensor and a small "Coming Home" function maintains the lights on once the circuit breaker is switched off, to accompany you in your garage.

It all started in 1993, when the KTM 620 Duke, the first of its name, appeared, followed by the 640 Duke II in 1998. In 2005, the Austrian firm released the Super Duke 990! A 122hp V-twin for a dry weight of 179 kg! A roadster that will end its career in 2013. In the meantime, a few other models have appeared: in 2008, a 690 Duke will be born, armed with a single-cylinder developing 65 hp for a weight of 148 kg, its career will last until 2020. In 2011, the Duke 125 will be released and in 2013 the Duke 390, still offered in the catalog. In 2015, KTM established the ultimate wild roadster with the appearance of the Super Duke 1290, displaying a huge 180 hp for 189kg dry weight! Cavalry is back in vogue this year, with the 1390 and its few 190 hp… To meet the growing demand for mid-size roadsters, KTM arrives in 2017 with the 790 Duke, whose parallel-twin develops 105 hp. In 2020, the 790 is replaced by the 890, which reveals 121 hp. But the maximum figures are not everything, and KTM decides to bring back the 790 in 2022 to allow young license holders to use a rewarding machine with a 95 hp twin, bridable to 47.5 in A2 license.

The loop is closed: the Duke 990 is back in the spotlight! It has lost its "Super" superlative, its noble V-twin has been replaced by the ubiquitous parallel-twin, but it gains one horsepower more and its weight remains at 179 kg dry! It is striking to see that in a decade, a mid-size roadster has become as powerful as a former big street-fighter.

Michaël Levivier - Photos constructeur